Daughter of the King
by PandemicPanda
Summary: With his rule over Akielos secure and in the early years of his new reign, King Damianos finds he is the father of a little Vaskian girl and he suddenly finds his priorities shifting. For now, his princess shines like a beacon of hope in a divided nation but raising her will force the King to change and make some decisions. Some that will affect other loves of his life...
1. Chapter 1

Damianos knew better then to ask the Empress to repeat herself but he doubted if he had heard her correctly. _'A daughter? His daughter? How was that possible?'_

Thankfully, the Empress of Vask answered his question as if seeing the confusion on his face. "Almost five years ago you visited one of our camps and took part in a Traditional Service* to my woman. All of them conceived. This one is the eldest and coincidentally the strongest of them all. In honor of your new reign and our treaty, we offer her to you as a daughter."

In the throne room stood only the most necessary officials from both Vask and Akielos to stand as witnesses of the Peace Treaty between both nations. Damianos had positive connections with Vask so the meeting went rather smoothly and afterwards it was customary for nations to prepare gifts for the other. However, neither side expected such an outcome although the Vaskians were not as shocked as the others.

Murmurs began to sweep through the small crowd, concerned for the legitimacy of the child's blood and such things, but the man beside the King quickly ordered them to silence. However, their concerns were valid. Though Damianos knew the story itself was true, to declare something as bold as presenting an heir of the king, he needed proof.

His voice rang out through the throne room as he ordered, "Very well. Show me the child."

From beside the Empress, a woman stepped out to the front holding a hooded child in her arms. The caretaker set her down on the floor to stand on her own and removed the veil that was over her head. For those close to the King, it only took them moments to see the similarities between the King and the little girl. For Damianos, he knew immediately that this child was his.

She had sand tan skin, lighter than his own, but the thick, wavy dark brown hair that fell over her shoulders matched his. The child had plump pink lips and round cheeks yet her features resembled his so closely that no one could deny she was his. However, it was her eyes that called everyone's attention. Behind her long dark lashes were a pair of light hazel-green eyes, a unique Vaskian trait that gave her the most distinct beauty. She was a child that anyone would want to sing praises over, truly worthy of the title Princess.

Damianos' surprise was quickly taken over by excitement and ordered the child to be brought to him. Though the girl and her caretaker were immediately escorted towards his throne, he stood and made his way down the throne room steps anyway. He met them at the bottom, his eyes never leaving the little girls small figure. He noticed the girl wore a stern expression and held tightly to her caretaker's hand but obediently followed until they were only a few steps away.

In that moment, he realized that being approached by someone as large as he was must be intimidating for a child, not to mention the stress of being presented to him in a grand throne room in front of a crowd. He dropped to one knee without giving one thought as to what the people around him were thinking. In almost a whisper he said, "Do not be afraid. You are welcome here."

"I am not afraid," the child said firmly in a heavy Vaskian accent. Damianos raised his brow at the child's unwavering declaration. He wasn't sure if she was brave or truly fearless. In any case he smiled warmly as he learned something new about his daughter.

"Is that right? No, it seems you are not." He chuckled and held his hand out to her, inviting her closer. "Come then. Let me see you."

She gave her caretaker a glance before releasing her hand and taking a few conscious steps towards him. She paused and for a moment she took all of him in. His olive skin, dark wavy hair, his gentle eyes. Though she was meeting him for the first time in a land with customs she was not accustomed to, there a was something familiar about him. Her instincts took over as she stepped passed his outreached hand and right into his chest.

"Appa." She called him 'father' in her native tongue and buried her head in his shoulder instinctively to hide her face.

Damianos wrapped his arms around the girl and held her delicate frame close. He caressed her soft hair and took in the sweetly faint aroma of vanilla that lingered there. When he looked down, he noticed her face pressed against him with no sign of moving. At the same time he became aware of the silence that fallen across the throne room. He, too, felt like this moment was being shared in front of an unwanted audience.

He stood, picking up the child in his arms and protectively holding her head in his hands. Though moments ago she witnessed the man speaking to a child as Damianos the father, when he stood tall and addressed her with a firm tone she knew she was now dealing with Damianos, the King. "There are others. Her siblings. What about them?"

"They belong to Vask," the Empress replied simply. "You were aware of these conditions when you slept with my woman."

He grit his teeth but couldn't refute her. She was right. Damianos knew he had no right to question them or any right to his children for that matter, but knowing there were others like the one in his arms made him wonder. He couldn't help being passive aggressive though. "I trust they are being well taken care of by your people."

The good Empress did not take offence but clearly saw the concern in his eyes. She respected him for it. "Rest assured, King Damianos, they are all being raised as she was. In the ways of my people." She paused but then offered a slight bow as she added, "I trust you will care for her, not as a peace offering but as a daughter of the royal house."

It was not her place to assume what the King would do with his gift or how he would care for it but she overstepped her boundaries to confirm the girl would be accepted. He nodded. "I formally accept your gift."

With his mind at easy and the exchange of gifts finalized, he addressed the court in a firm voice and officially dismissed them. The Empress and her officials would begin to make preparations to leave for Vask in the morning and the Akielon court would await to hear an official decision about the apparent heir to the throne. Damianos took his leave, exiting the room through a private hallway with his daughter in his arms.

* * *

AN: Just a bit of set up for the rest of the story. I'm hoping for this to be a short and sweet story with about 10 or so chapter. We will see lol Hope you enjoy! Please, leave a comment! Thanks!

* * *

*See Prince's Gambit, chapter 10 for details.


	2. Daughter of the King

The girl's arms wrapped around his neck tightly and her legs had a hold of his waist. She clung to him in such a way that he was sure that even if he were to release his hold on her, her body wouldn't budge. He gave her a brief squeeze, hoping she would understand she was safe.

Now that he had her, though, he had no idea what to do next. This had all been so sudden. In a matter of minutes her had become the father of a little girl he knew absolutely nothing about. Not to mention, he had no idea how to begin to care for a child. He knew if he stopped walking there would be someone there ready to receive orders but as of now he didn't have any so he just kept walking through the palace. He walked in silence until he reached his private quarters and stopped in front of his bed.

He turned and was grateful to find that only Nikandros had followed him in. Understanding how caught off guard he must be, Nikandros remained silent until finally offering some help.

"Should I call a caretaker?" he asked.

"What?"

"For the child. Should I assign a caretaker to care for and raise the princess?"

Nikandros was brilliant. Even in times when Damianos was in shock, Nikandros understood and found ways to help without hurting the Kings pride. Damianos was grateful to the man and his mind seemed to recover a bit. "Yes, she will need a caretaker. Also, a teacher for her education." He paused and then added on a whim, "Someone who knows Veretian."

"Yes, your highness."

"And have a room prepared for her."

"Yes, your highness."

"What else is needed?" Damianos turned his head and nudged the child who had been silent since leaving the throne room but she didn't move. As he pushed her up, her body slide limply to the side and he positioned his arm to catch her head. He cradled her to his chest and saw that his daughter was fast asleep. "Nikandros, do children usually fall asleep so easily?"

"She must have been very tired. It is also quite late." Nikandros watched as Damianos stepped back and sat at the edge of his bed, gazing down at the little girl in his arms like he had never seen anything like her before. He hesitated before speaking, not wanting to interrupt their moment. "What do you want to do for the child's first night?"

"She will stay with me." His answer was immediate and slightly defensive. "Go and do as I have ordered."

"Yes, your highness." Bowing, Nikandros quickly left the room.

Damianos was unsure for how long he had sat in that exact position but it was long enough for his arms to start cramping. Finally, he rose and laid the child beneath the sheet of his bed. She woke only to stare at him through faltering eyes. He slid in beside her, drawing her closer to him. She grasped the hem of his robe that was draped across his chest and fell asleep once more.

Sleep was far from him that night. His thoughts were consumed with every possible situation he imagined he would face because of this little girl. He was no longer just a King, but a father now. A father of a princess. He thought about what that meant for Akielos, his plan for peace … and Laurent. There was so much to consider but even as the dawn came and the sky changed from black to navy, he felt he still had no answers.

He almost forgot there was someone else in bed with him until he heard a tiny murmur from under the blankets. In the night he had put some distance between them out of fear of crushing the child in his sleep. Now he sat leaning against the top of the bed, watching as the child stirred. She lifted her head to one side and then turned to him as if looking for him. Then the most amazing thing happened. For the first time, he saw her smile. It was faint but it was her first reaction to seeing him in the morning and he loved it. He forgot all of his worries, even if only for a moment.

"Good morning." he said softly. She mumbled something and then pressed her face into the pillow, rubbing it in a few times before sitting up. Her hair was a wavy brown mess and she pushed it back just to get it out of her face. He tapped his chest. "Come."

The girl's quick response pleased him. The way she showed no hesitation but instead excitedly jumped up and hopped onto his stomach made his heart warm.

"Tell me, my little princess," he said taking her hands in his. "What is your name?"

"I don't have." For a moment he focused on how cute her Vaskian accent was before processing what she had said.

"What? You don't have a name? Surely… What did your mother call you?"

"Daughter," the girl answered honestly.

He sat in silence. "You've never been given a proper name?"

The girl shrugged, her attention lost to the gold pendant that sat on his chest. She pulled her hands away from his and reached for it, taking it in hers and flipping it around a few times. Her eyes sparked with curiosity.

"Your name, Appa?" Again, he delighted in his daughter's accent and confidently assumed that she was calling him father in Vaskian. However, he frowned when he thought that some people might not take to kindly to her heavy accent. For a daughter of the royal house, it was odd. She would have to get rid of it quickly. _In any case_ , he thought, _I'll keep her from the public eye for a while_. "Appa?"

"Ah, my name is Damianos. King Damianos of Akielos but you can call me Appa if you would like." She didn't seem to be paying attention so he lifted her chin with his finger. "Appa mean father, right?"

"Yes, you are my father."

"That's right, and how do you know this? Did your mother tell you?"

"Yes. Amma said, Appa is king."

"What else did she say?" he asked. The child looked confused. "Did your Amma tell you anything else about me?"

"Appa is a big man. A warrior." She placed the pendant down on his chest and stared down at it. Her face became vacant of expression as she spoke. "Amma said I have to obey Appa. Here will be my home. I cannot go back to Vask."

From just this, Damianos could piece together some clues as to what the Vaskians were thinking. It sounded as though it had been their plan for her to be sent to Akielos. He didn't want to be suspicious of his own daughter but if this was their plan, what were their intentions by delivering her to him? No, he shouldn't think this way. They had just signed a peace treaty and the Vaskians were not the type to send a traitor, a young girl at that, to fight their battle for them. Then maybe it was the mother. Perhaps she was preparing her daughter to be sent to an allied nation knowing that if the girl did not accept her Akielon heritage as her own completely, she would be rejected by its people. Yes. That made sense to Damianos.

In order for her to become accepted by his people, many things would need to take place. One of which would be making her as Akielon as possible. He took one large finger and gently stroked the childs plump cheek. _She looked the part_ , he thought, _too much like me to deny that_. It would just be her accent. Then it would be the question of her legitimacy. Not to him but the throne. His future wife and children would be a concern for those who did not know better. Those who did not know there would never be any, except her of course.

But people had accepted his brother. They had even made him King at one point. Surely they would accept her too with time. He only wanted her to be happy. To grow up without any questions of her blood or discrimination. Maybe he was being to cautious. Akielos was known for being quite open minded about these things. He sighed as his mind was in a whirl and he lacked the sleep to process it all.

"What wrong, Appa?" He felt small hands press flatly on his cheek as the girl leaned in to him. Her brows were creased with concern and curiosity. This little girl, who couldn't be much more than four years old, could sense something was wrong with him. He would be more careful how he acted around her in the future. For now, he pushed his worries aside and sat up, pressing a hard kiss to her forehead.

"Nothing, my princess. There is nothing you need to worry about. This is your home and you, my child, are it's future. It's light." He was just saying whatever came to mind but his words were a declaration. He smiled. "Your name will be Theia. Princess Theia of Akielos. Daughter of the King."


End file.
